NOVEMBER 9, 2004

Want to ride in a Formula 1 three-seater?

Laurent Redon dropped from the Formula 1 scene in 1999, heading off to America to race in the Indy Racing League. After that he established LRS-Formula, a Formula 1 driving school at Magny-Cours. He bought F1 cars from Benetton, Prost, Larrousse and Arrows and ran them for clients. In 2004 the programme became international with the organization visiting a number of circuits in Europe. Next year LRS is planning to run 60 days of track activity. In 2005 the organization is also planning to offer "students" the chance to ride with a professional driver at the wheel of an F1 car, by producing a three-seater F1 car. This is being designed and built in collaboration with Design Tech Center Ltd (DTC), a company in England which is run by Ian Thomson and Franck Doyen. DTC was established by a group of Formula 1 engineers from France and the UK who have experience of designing prototype cars. The driver will be in the usual location but slightly behind him on either side there will be seats in the sidepods for the students. The car will use a Ford HB engine which produces 700hp and is more than capable of demonstrating the excitement of F1.